Friday, 22 January 2016

Armageddon! - Lessons From History



Armageddon!

It is interesting to note that prophecies regarding an ultimate World War between the forces of Good and the forces of  Evil  are  also  found in the Christian tradition. The highly cryptic and symbolic language of the last book in the New Testament — the Revelations of John — is often difficult to interpret, but the references to the beast and the false prophet resembles  closely  the  Muslim concept  of  Dajjal;  the  woman riding  the  beast  most  probably  refers  to  the  Jews  and  their revival; the rider coming on the white horse seems like representing the Second Coming of Prophet Isa (AS). Here are a few excerpts:

I saw three foul spirits like frogs coming from the mouths of the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet. These are demonic spirits with power to work out miracles, sent out to muster all the kings of the world for the battle on the great day of God the sovereign Lord. (16:13,14)

...I saw a woman mounted on a scarlet beast which was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads  and  ten  horns...  I  saw that  the  woman was drunk with the blood of God’s people, and with the blood  of  those  who  had  borne  their  testimony to Jesus... the angel said... the beast you saw was once alive, and it is alive no longer, but has yet to ascend out  of  the  abyss  before  going  to  be  destroyed. (17:3,6-8)
I saw heaven wide open, and a white horse appeared; its rider’s name was Faithful and True, for he is just in judgment and just in war... The armies of heaven followed him... Out of his mouth came a sharp sword to smite the nation; for it is he who will rule them with a rod of iron... I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies mustered to do battle against the rider and his army. The beast was taken prisoner,  along  with  the  false  prophet  who  has worked miracles in its presence and deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshipped its image. The two of them were thrown alive into the lake of fire with its sulfurous flames. The rest were killed by the sword which came out of the rider’s mouth, and the birds all gorged themselves on their flesh (19:11,14,15,19-21)

I saw an angel coming down from heaven with the key to the abyss and a great chain in his hand. He seized the  dragon, that ancient serpent who is the Devil, or Satan, and chained him up for a thousand years; he threw him into the abyss, shutting and sealing it over him, so that he might not seduce the nations  again  till  the  thousand  years  were  ended. After that he must be let loose for a little while. (20:1-3)

The site of the final battle against the Anti-Christ is said to be Armageddon   (Revelation   16:16),   located   in   the   ancient stronghold of Megiddo, roughly 15 miles south-east of Jerusalem.. The word Armageddon has now come to mean the final battle between the forces of Good and the forces of Evil.





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